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Even after the script for this heist caper falls apart into a punishing pile of its own twists and double-crosses, however, co-stars Will Smith and Margot Robbie continue to exude a consistent charisma throughout the film.
It may sound strange to describe “Focus” as a return to form for a box office titan who hasn’t really gone anywhere in the past quarter of a century like Will Smith has with “Focus.” On the other hand, the recent years have not been kind to him, what with the ponderous “Seven Pounds,” the forgettable “Men in Black 3,” and the disastrous “After Earth.” As a seasoned con artist, Smith comes off here as more relaxed; he is as charming as ever, but he is also broken, commanding yet vulnerable. It seems as though he has finally found the right gear as he settles into middle age—good lord, is the eternally boyish and buoyant Smith approaching 50?—and he’s comfortable there. It’s as if he’s finally shifted into the right gear as he settles into middle age.
Robbie’s position as a major star is further cemented by the release of the song “Focus.” After delivering a hilarious and head-turning supporting performance in 2013’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” in which she nearly stole the entire behemoth of a film out from underneath a larger-than-life Leonardo DiCaprio, the Australian actress demonstrates that she is just as fierce when she is in the role of the leading lady. It’s not just that she has jaw-dropping good looks and is impossible to photograph badly (which she is). She also possesses excellent instincts and a natural talent for comic timing, as well as a sense of playfulness that is just as potent as her sex appeal.
These actors have a lot of material that is quick and snappy to work with in the movie that was written and directed by the writing and directing duo of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. The material can be used individually or as a team in a variety of different ways. However, much like Ficarra and Requa’s romantic comedy from 2011, “Crazy, Stupid Love,” “Focus” has a promising beginning and bops along enjoyably for a while, but it eventually runs out of steam in the third act.
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However, at the beginning of the show, Smith’s Nicky and Robbie’s Jess enjoy sizzling chemistry as strangers attempting to outsmart each other over wine and candlelight at an upscale restaurant in Manhattan. (The way that cinematographer Xavier Perez Grobet often shoots them—sitting opposite each other at a table in an opulent setting, bathed in sultry light—is reminiscent of the Steven Soderbergh classic “Out of Sight” in ways that surely can’t be a coincidence.) “Out of Sight” was directed by Steven Soderbergh. She is a low-level con artist who is currently attempting to con her way into more lucrative gigs. He has spent his entire life in this industry and has the management of major operations down to a science.
When they both finally figure out the truth about the other — if there even is such a thing as truth in a movie about con artists — she begs him to teach her everything he knows and he reluctantly agrees. This leads to a scene that is one of the film’s highlights as they flirtatiously dance around each other in a snowy Lincoln Center, with Nicky preaching the importance of taking away a mark’s focus while pocketing every last one of Jess’ belongings. The scene is a highlight of the film.
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The next stop is in New Orleans, where Nicky reluctantly agrees to let Jess become a member of the massive team that he has put together in order to steal watches and wallets from unsuspecting partygoers who have gathered for a Major Professional Football Championship. (It doesn’t matter what you do, just don’t refer to it as the Super Bowl.) As it turns out, she’s a natural—a massive distraction in a tight dress with a light touch, as evidenced by a beautifully edited sequence that took place among the crowds on Bourbon Street. And Jess diverts Nicky’s attention as well, as the excitement of the impropriety of the situation gives way to a romance that is not entirely convincing.
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The Superdome serves as the location for the scene that is considered to be the film’s “tour de force,” in which Nicky’s gambling habits put him in serious danger while he is in a luxury suite with a high roller (played by the entertaining BD Wong). This segment of the movie could easily work as its own self-contained short film because it has such a compelling arc and because it delivers such a potent mixture of tense moments and comedic ones. I wouldn’t dream of giving away any of its many surprises, but I will say this: You will never again listen to “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones in a movie the same way ever again.
If the story of “Focus” could have been wrapped up after that point, it would have been a sparkling little jewel. However, it continues on its journey, arriving in Buenos Aires three years later. There, Nicky is operating yet another con for the wealthy owner of a racing team, Garriga (Rodrigo Santoro), which involves tricking his rivals into believing that they have access to a high-tech device that makes cars go faster. It is not important what the device does; what is important is how Nicky uses it to manipulate everyone around him. This is what sets up the film’s climax, even though it is set up in a rather flimsy manner.
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(As Garriga’s rough and distrustful right-hand man, Gerald McRaney does, however, get to enjoy some truly cutting language.) In a similar vein, Adrian Martinez, who plays Nicky’s lewd longtime sidekick, contributes more than his fair share of hilarious lines.
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More importantly, Buenos Aires is where Nicky meets up with Jess again, who is now living a luxurious life as Garriga’s girlfriend thanks to the wealth she inherited from him. Of all the gin joints there are in the world, you do realize that, right? But despite Jess’s claims that she has turned her back on a life of crime, nothing in “Focus” is ever as simple as it seems.
It is difficult to develop an emotional investment in whether or not these characters end up together because there is not much going on beneath their polished exteriors. Furthermore, it is unclear whether or not this extraordinary world is capable of supporting the kind of everyday human connection that is being depicted here. At the very least, Nicky has a backstory about a heartless father, which is meant to explain the cynicism that is inherent in his character. Even the barest minimum of character development is given to Jess.
When we watch a movie like this, we are aware that not only are the characters on screen being taken advantage of, but so are we, the audience. In principle, that should be part of the fun: attempting to stay one step ahead of the action while frequently failing to do so. But “Focus” is all surface and all artifice, to the point where we can’t help but anticipate the deception that will be presented to us. And the twists are thrown in so thick and fast toward the end that it feels more like an overkill than a shock when they occur. The film seems to lose its light touch as it draws to a close, which is ironic given that it is Robbie’s character’s deft touch that makes her such an expert thief.
For more personality quizzes check this: Fantastic Four Quiz.
